MovieChat Forums > Palmetto (1998) Discussion > Lots of Plot Questions. Mega SPOILER al...

Lots of Plot Questions. Mega SPOILER alerts!

posted 14 years ago by contact-258
3 replies | jump to latest

I hope I don't sound ridiculous asking plot questions about this movie. But here goes.

1. Why in the world did they kill off the fake daughter? Nothing like having a little felony murder rap on your head.

2. Why did she want the real daughter killed if she wasn't even married to the father? They must have been on drugs if they were planning on killing the daughter, the wife, and then marry the husband all before he died of the big one.

3. Why did the father pay them with fake money and then expect to have his daughter returned? Hello. You give me fake money, you no get girl back.

4. How did the older guy he knocked out in the parking lot identify him? I suppose the only answer is that he was also in on it from the beginning. How many people did they have in on this crime? How many people got a cut of the cash which was most unlikely to ever materialize?

I do have to admit that Miss Shue was kinda cute despite the plot holes.

[–] iwals 14 years ago

FWIW, here are my answers:

1. I think they killed her off simply to "tie up loose ends" as one might say. If you're willing to kill someone in an acid bath, you are pretty evil. Also, this way they didn't have to share with her.

2. It was a real kidnapping, they just used Harry Barber as a red herring or patsy. They killed the real daughter to avoid having her identify them. It was never about getting the old guy's fortune; it was as simple as them getting the $500,000.

3. He probably didn't know it was fake. His bodyguard had possesion of the briefcase with the money, and then placed it in the car. I assume the money was switched. If they showed the switch, it would have given away the plot.

4. This may be a little thin: right before he was struck, he looked over his shoulder. In reality, I don't think he would have remembered this. However, in the movies anything is possible. His description fit Barber, but like Harrelson said, it also fit a thousand other guys.

Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever.

[–] moviestar26 14 years ago

Exactly. Your answers are correct in reference to the questions. However I'm surprised that they kept the body of the real daughter for a few days before leaving her in Barber's room.

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 8 years ago

Yeah. I agree about the other answers, but the part about the daughter doesn't really work. Not the poster's fault, but the movie doesn't really explain that very well. It seemed to be thrown in just to add more confusion.

I still love the movie in spite of the plot holes.

Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Cried